Richmond County
Created in 1661, Richmond County is located in the far south of New York State. It is one of the state's twelve original counties and has a population of 490,687 people. Richmond County has no county seat as it shares the same territory with Staten Island, one of the five New York City boroughs.
The Richmond County court structure encompasses five trial courts, including a supreme court, a family court, a surrogate's court, a civil court, and a criminal court. Richmond County Supreme Court, which is the highest jurisdiction county court, exercises general and original jurisdiction over civil and criminal lawsuits. Its criminal jurisdiction, however, covers only New York City. The Supreme Court also hears civil claims above $25,000, annulments, divorce-based domestic violence suits, legal separation matters, and complex commercial cases. It comprises a Civil and Criminal Division and a Matrimonial Division.
The Richmond County Family Court hears cases relating to the family and children, including guardianships, adoptions, child custody, child support, juvenile delinquency, domestic abuse, and inter-family violence. The Richmond County Surrogate's Court, in contrast, has jurisdiction over adoptions, probate of wills, trusts, and administration of decedents' estates. The New York City Civil Court, which comprises a General Civil Division, a Housing Division, and a Small Claims Division, adjudicates civil claims for money in dispute for $25,000 and less for General Civil cases and $5,000 for Small Claims suits. It also hears landlord-tenant matters and other cases involving home property code violations. The New York City Criminal Court oversees cases, including initial felony hearings, misdemeanors, and lesser offenses.
Richmond County court records are official documents and files that contain details of court trials in the county. These records typically encompass various legal information, including transcripts, notices, minutes, docket entries, orders, and judgments. Richmond County court records, which promote judicial transparency and accountability, commonly include:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Probate records
- Family Law records
The Richmond County Clerk is responsible for court records management in the county. Per Section 255 of the New York Judiciary Law, anyone can access court records subject to making a formal request and paying the applicable fees. Requesters can also look up Richmond County court records online through the Criminal History Record Search (CHRS) or the New York State Court Electronic Filing (NYSCEF) portals. They may also choose to visit the courthouse where their actions were filed to inspect and obtain copies of their records.
